Proof of Identity

Mr. Stephen O'Brien
To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission when the new Houses of Parliament pass (a) designs and (b) text on the reverse were authorised; and how much the introduction of the new passes has cost.

Nick Harvey
The new Houses of Parliament passes are a necessary component of the higher-security access system. The pass access system including the design of the passes was authorised by the project board and endorsed by both the Administration Committee on 26 June 2007 and the Joint Committee on Security (JCOS) on 3 July 2007. The cost of producing the passes—including a stock expected to last for at least the first year—was £70,000.